Spiritual Burnout
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Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership List Price: $19.00 Sale Price: $7.84  |
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In this booklet, Kay Gray offers helpful advice for Emmaus spiritual directors, covering such topics as the role of spiritual directors, the qualifications for selection, and responsibilities before, during, and after the weekend. |
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Your Church in Rhythm: The Forgotten Dimensions of Seasons and Cycles (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) List Price: $24.95 |
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A gentle new way for church leader’s to survive stress and burnoutBruce Miller debunks the idea of balance—basically trying to have it all, all the time. Most churches and their pastors try to do everything at once and feel guilty if any one aspect (worship, ministries, outreach, etc... |
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Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic List Price: $12.99 |
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Growing up the daughter of a pastor, Anne Jackson experienced firsthand the conflict, stress, and struggle church leaders often face. She vowed her life in ministry would be different.Yet, years later, as a church leader, she was hospitalized because stress began wreaking havoc on her body... |
Depression and Chronic Illness
Copyright (c) 2008 G Susan Rivers, LMFT
Even if we have avoided serious illness ourselves, we cannot escape its reach into our circle of family and friends. Illness can bring us closer through care giving and it can separate us through disability and death.
Emotional and social support are vital with all chronic illnesses. Along with a new diagnosis or the burnout of a long ongoing illness, intense feelings such as anger, fear, loneliness and depression can sneak their way into our daily living.
Feeling overwhemled, fighting to cope with all the changes and the reality of the illness can bring on despair, rage, even fear of losing control over our life.
Strong emotions may intensify stress and constant stress can create an emotional tornado that feels like spinning out of control. Our connections with others who know us and care about us (family, friends, church and community) are keys to helping us maintain a healthy emotional balance. In fact, research validates that those who connect with others live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives than those who create an island of isolation. Two lengthy studies (San Francisco and Finland) found that those who felt socially isolated were 200 to 300 percent more likely to die of various causes, compared with those who defined themselves as belonging to a community. Even with risky medical problems such as high blood pressure, those who were connected to a church, synagogue or community were less likely to die from heart disease.
Having emotional support and those "belonging" connections are great assets to emotional balance. However, such support and level of connection is not always available. In fact, family members who are emotionally upset and emotionally guarded themselves are often difficult to approach-and-their responses may seem unpredictable. Living with a loved one with a chronic illness can be very stressful.
One of the greatest stressors is acknowledging our own worst fears about the one who is suffering. The fear is that of abandonment. In fact, at times, family members can be angry with the patient as an odd form of distancing in order to guard against the impending pain or loss.
It takes courage for all involved to be able to discuss fears and upsetting emotions. At times, too, good intentions can seem like criticism and unsolicited advice. For the patient who is grieving the loss of health and independence, facing mortality can feel like giving in to death--that all hope is lost.
Others, with a spiritual faith to lean on may find truth about mortality less threatening. There is no perfect way to navigate through the all the grief and fear that all who are close feel. Depression can be on both sides of the illness. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and just sheer burnout can signal the need for outside help.
When we run out pretending room and move past denial, the situation can feel overwhelming, physically as well as emotionally. Don't be afraid to find help from a pastor, a chaplain or a trained therapist. There is help!
About the Author
Susan, a Christian Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years, has a private practice in Goodyear, AZ. For more info you can visit: http://www.gsusanrivers.com
